Naruto was still on the move.
A green-eyed ninja wearing a scratched-through forehead protector stepped into a public restroom.
But he wasn't there to relieve himself.
Instead, he placed his hand confidently on a wall.
On his arm were stitching marks—evidence of having once been severed and reattached.
Though the wall appeared seamless, the man pushed it open, revealing a hidden door.
Inside was a secret room—far larger than the restroom above.
A bald man inside looked up.
"Kakuzu, back again for a mission so soon? You're really the hardest-working man in the shinobi world. I oughta give you an award."
"An award?" Kakuzu replied gruffly.
"Not interested. I'm only here for money. Got any good targets?"
The bald man rubbed his hands and turned to a drawer, pulling out a stack of bounty slips.
Kakuzu took them and started flipping through.
Each slip showed the target's portrait, info, and bounty amount.
Having worked as a bounty hunter for many years, Kakuzu had a particular habit:
He always checked the bounty amount first. Only if the price was high enough would he bother reading the details.
Anything under a million ryō? Straight into the discard pile.
He flipped rapidly through the stack.
Until—
He froze on one particular slip, eyes locked on the bounty amount.
"One... two... three... four... five... six... seven... eight..."
He counted three times just to be sure.
Behind that '1' were eight zeroes.
One hundred million.
Just seeing the number made all five of Kakuzu's hearts pound with excitement.
After confirming the bounty, he looked at the top of the slip.
Name: Naruto Uzumaki
Age: 12
Strength: Unknown (far exceeds jōnin-level)
Bounty: 100,000,000 ryō
"12 years old? With a 100 million bounty?" Kakuzu was stunned.
He couldn't wrap his head around the combination.
Who would pay that much to put a hit on a 12-year-old?
The bald man glanced at the slip.
"I figured that'd catch your eye.
That's Naruto Uzumaki, a missing-nin from Konoha.
Don't let his age fool you—this kid's no joke. Even for you, Kakuzu, I'd think twice."
"A genin?" Kakuzu smirked.
"I'm taking this bounty. Prepare the payout."
You've gotta be kidding. I'm the guy who went toe-to-toe with Hashirama Senju and lived to tell about it—
And now you're telling me I can't handle one genin?
With that, Kakuzu walked out confidently, bounty slip in hand.
Watching him leave, the bald man sighed.
"...Good luck, man."
Meanwhile, Naruto had no idea he'd just been placed on the bounty list—with a starting price of 100 million.
He was currently in the Land of Hot Water, soaking in a warm onsen.
His previous trip to the Konoha hot spring had been interrupted, so he never got the full experience.
Now, finally—he could enjoy it properly.
The Land of Hot Water was nestled between the Land of Fire and the Land of Water.
Naruto figured it got its name from the abundance of natural hot springs everywhere.
Soaking in one was like simmering in a soup pot.
Leaning back against a smooth stone, a hot towel draped across his forehead, Naruto felt a rare sense of relaxation.
Since arriving in this world, every day in Konoha had felt tense—like walking on a tightrope.
Only now, after gaining true power and leaving Konoha behind, could he finally reclaim this sense of peace.
For the next three days, Naruto stayed in the Land of Hot Water.
His once-chaotic emotions gradually calmed.
On the third night, after dinner, he returned to his room.
The inn's rooms were simple and wooden—not large, but clean.
No bed—just a padded mat laid out on the floor.
Naruto leaned by the window.
Outside, the sky was dotted with stars. The night was breathtaking.
One thing the shinobi world had over his past life was the absence of pollution—no factories, no car exhaust.
The air was clear, and the moon was dazzlingly bright.
Naruto gazed at it silently, the outline of the moon reflected in his eyes.
"Kaguya Ōtsutsuki… sealed up there, huh? And wasn't there someone named Toneri Ōtsutsuki too?"
"Maybe I should visit the moon sometime."
He murmured softly.
Then—he heard rustling sounds in the hallway.
It sounded like someone crawling along the floor… slowly inching closer to his room.
His eyes flashed.
Transparent World activated.
Sure enough—he saw a figure crawling toward his door.
Naruto raised an eyebrow.
When the person reached the door, they raised a hand.
But instead of trying to sneak in, they… knocked?
That threw Naruto off completely.
'I was already preparing to act—and now you're knocking? What's the point?'
He waved his hand.
A finely controlled Wind Release gently pushed the door open.
Kneeling outside—
Was a middle-aged woman in a deep V-neck white bathrobe.
And in that position… well, she was revealing a lot.
Definitely not small.
But age and lack of care had taken their toll—things were starting to sag.
The woman looked up and forced an awkward smile.
"Um… handsome boy, I've been watching you for a while now.
You always seem to be alone. Don't you get lonely?
How about… joining your big sister for a soak?"
As she spoke, she gave a little shoulder shake.
The right side of her robe slipped down, revealing her bare shoulder.
Then she winked at Naruto—several times.
A textbook example of calculated seduction.
Sister?
If we're talking about physical age, she was old enough to be this body's mother.
There were mixed baths here in the Land of Hot Water, sure.
But this woman was… very much not his type.
"I'll pass," Naruto said flatly.
The woman didn't give up.
"Aw, come on, little cutie Just once! I'm not gonna bite you"
But before Naruto could respond—
A cool, commanding voice cut her off:
"Tch. For a grown woman, you're behaving disgracefully."
The older woman scowled, ready to snap back.
But when she turned and saw who had spoken, her face went pale with shock.
"I-It's you…"
"My, my~ I didn't expect to be recognized even here in the Land of Hot Water. How surprising."
The older woman bit her lip in frustration, gave Naruto one last look, then stood and left.
Naruto turned toward the source of the voice—
A tall, voluptuous woman stood in the hallway.
Waist-length auburn hair, a deep-blue off-shoulder dress.
Her eyes were subtly sultry, exuding a dangerous kind of allure.
Sexy. Powerful. Radiating confidence.
Naruto and the woman locked eyes in silence.
She's here… of all places.
Did she come looking for me on purpose? Or…?
He couldn't help but wonder.